This disclosure relates generally to classification of entities, and more particularly to classifying applications for application search.
In recent years, use of computers, smartphones, and other Internet-connected devices has grown exponentially. Correspondingly, the number of available applications for such devices has also grown. Today, many diverse applications can be accessed on any number of different devices, including, but not limited to, smartphones, personal computers, wearable devices, refrigerators, automobiles, and televisions. These diverse applications can include business-driven applications, games, educational applications, news applications, shopping applications, efficiency applications, messaging applications, video chatting applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and so much more.
Given the wide diversity of applications, it is often difficult to find applications that are similar to one another. Application search systems may search for applications by searching for words in titles, descriptions, and other textual content associated with the applications. However, end users typically perceive applications as being similar if the applications perform similar functions. As the functionality of an application is not necessarily well represented by individual words (e.g., keywords), it may be difficult for application search systems to determine if two applications perform similar functions.
The figures depict various embodiments of the techniques of the present disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the techniques described herein.